Real Life (Simple Minds album)

Real Life
Studio album by Simple Minds
Released 8 April 1991
Recorded 1990–1991 at Bonny Wee, Wisseloord, A&M, Maison Rouge, Ca Va, The Town House
Genre Alternative rock, pop rock
Length 52:15 (first edition)
52:35 (2002/2003 reissue)
Label Virgin (Europe) / A&M (US)
Producer Stephen Lipson
Simple Minds chronology

Themes – Volume 4: February 89 - May 90
(1990)		 Real Life
(1991)		 Glittering Prize 81/92
(1992)
Simple Minds studio albums chronology
Street Fighting Years
(1989)		 Real Life
(1991)		 Good News from the Next World
(1995)
Singles from Real Life
  1. "Let There Be Love"
    Released: 1991
  2. "See the Lights"
    Released: 1991
  3. "Stand By Love"
    Released: 1991
  4. "Real Life"
    Released: 1991
Original cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [1]
Martin C. Strong (5/10)[2]
Rolling Stone [3]

Real Life is the ninth album by the Scottish band Simple Minds, released in April 1991.[4] The album reached No. 2 in the UK,[5] and No. 74 in the United States. Four singles from the album were Top 40 hits in the UK, including the Top 10 hit "Let There Be Love". In the US, "See The Lights" reached the Top 40 and also reached No. 1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.[6]

This was the first Simple Minds album recorded without keyboardist and original bandmember Mick MacNeil, who left the band after the previous tour in 1990. The core band on this album comprise only Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, and Mel Gaynor (who all appear on the cover), with the remaining personnel being session musicians.

The original album cover was replaced in later pressings by the original rear cover shot of the band (see infobox).

2002/2003 remastered edition

Virgin Records reissued the CD as part of the Simple Minds remasters in late 2002 (mini-LP replica; Virgin SIMCDX10) and early 2003 (standard jewel-case; SIMCD10). On the remastered version, a couple of differences are apparent when compared to the first edition (Virgin CDV 2660). The 2002/2003 remaster features an extended mix of "Let There Be Love", not the one used on the first edition of the album, although it is not mentioned on the cover or in the booklet. The segues between tracks have also been re-edited, so that the running time of individual tracks may differ slightly between the editions. Also, the CD version of the first edition had "Banging on the Door" split into two track in the disc's table of contents (running time was 1:16 + 4:22), but the music as such did not indicate any break between the parts. On the 2002/2003 reissue, the track is indexed as one.

Notes

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Burchill, Kerr; except where indicated. 

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Real Life"    4:53
2. "See the Lights"    4:22
3. "Let There Be Love"    4:57
4. "Woman"  Burchill, Kerr, Lipson 4:40
5. "Stand By Love"    4:04
6. "Let the Children Speak"    4:16
7. "African Skies"    4:52
8. "Ghostrider"    3:22
9. "Banging on the Door (intro)"    1:16
10. "Banging on the Door"    4:22
11. "Travelling Man"  Burchill, Kerr, Lipson 3:34
12. "Rivers of Ice"  MacLachlan, Simple Minds 3:30
13. "When Two Worlds Collide"    4:01

Personnel

Additional musicians
  • Alfred Bos – shaft guitar on "African Skies"
  • Andy Duncan – percussion
  • Malcolm Foster – bass
  • Lisa Germano – violin
  • Carol Kenyon – backing vocals
  • Steve Lipson – production, bass, keyboards, odaiko
  • Wil Malone – orchestral arrangements
  • Sonia Morgan Jones – backing vocals
  • Peter-John Vettese – keyboards
  • Gavyn Wright – string conductor, string section leader
Studio personnel
  • Dougie Cowan – technical master
  • Giles Cowley – mixing, mixing assistant
  • Tony Donald – equipmentcCoordinator, equipment technician
  • Simon Fowler – art direction, design, photography, stylist
  • Efren Herrera – engineer
  • Simon Heyworth – mastering
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Paul Kerr – logistics
  • Will Malone – orchestration, orchestral arrangements
  • Heff Moraes – engineer, MIDI engineer, MIDI manager
  • Stylorouge – art direction, design
  • Gary Thomas – engineer
  • Au Yeung, Ying Ho – catering
  • Jane Ventom – A&R

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position Certification
1991 UK Albums Chart 2 Platinum[7]
US Billboard 200 74 -

Singles

Single Chart (1991) Position
"Let There Be Love" UK Singles Chart 6
"See the Lights" UK Singles Chart 20
US Billboard Hot 100 40
US Modern Rock Tracks 1
US Billboard Mainstream Rock 10
"Stand By Love" UK Singles Chart 13
US Modern Rock Tracks 4
"Real Life" UK Singles Chart 34

References

  1. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "Simple Minds: Real Life > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  2. ↑ The Essential Rock Discography - Volume 1: 970. 2006. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ Evans, Paul (13 June 1991). "Simple Minds: Real Life". Rolling Stone (Straight Arrow) (RS 606). ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on 6 May 2007.
  4. ↑ "Real Life". simple-minds.demon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 1997.
  5. ↑ "Real Life". ChartStats.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  6. ↑ "Real Life > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" at AllMusic. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  7. ↑ BPI Certifications Database

External links